Black Legion (Warner Bros.) (1937)

“BLACK LEGION” EXPLOITATION ow Available In Mat Form FOURTH CHAPTER OF “BLACh LEGION’ TOLD IN PICTURES Stirring Film Drama with Humphrey Bogart and Dick Foran Coming to The The dreaded Black Legion strikes at the home of Joe Dombrowski. Joe and his father struggle to save their farm, but Cliff and Frank and the rest “gang up” on them, beating them into submission. The Legion destroys everything in sight, and carried away by mob hysteria, set fire to the farm. Bound and gagged, Joe and his father are dragged and pushed out of the flaming house to a waiting car. They are put on a freight train and told never to come back. FIFTH CHAPTER OF “BLACh LEGION’ TOLD IN PICTURES Stirring Film Drama with Humphrey Bogart and Dick Foran Coming to The Ed Jackson, next door at the Grogan’s, hears the party going on at Taylor’s house. Ed breaks in on Frank and Pearl, both steeped in drink. He lifts the protesting Pearl up bodily and throws her out of the house. Returning to Frank, he upbraids him for his actions. Frank in a drunken frenzy blurts out everything about the Black Legion. Ed leaves, saying he’s going to straighten Frank out with the police. Under careful tutoring by the Legion, Pearl Danvers is brought to the stand by Billings who doesn’t know that Frank’s story is false. She testifies that Ed resented her going around with Frank. On the night of the killing, Frank had taken her riding, and made love to her, promising to marry her as soon as he got a divorce. They had been surprised by Ed, who had whipped out a gun, iiecaiauing to kill them both. Frank struggled for the gun and it went off, killing Ed. The foreman’s job now falls to Frank, and he’s able to carry out all of his previous plans and literally bombards Ruth and Buddy with gifts. Meanwhile the Legion continues its nefarious work. Mysterious disappearances, midnight whippings, puzzle the authorities, and have become a_ nation-wide’ scandal. Frank, ordered to bring in new recruits, talks to one of his workers in the washroom—but something goes wrong in the shop, where he should have been, and he’s caught, redhanded, off duty. After Ed has gone, Frank gets in touch with Cliff, and tells him that Ed knows everything. Ed is carried out to the secret meeting place of the Legion, and when he is treated roughly, he defiantly strikes back at the hooded figures. He wrenches free and is making his getaway, when he is shot from behind, and killed instantly. The Legion men disperse frantically, leaving one man behind, the one who fired the shot— it is Frank! SIXTH CHAPTER UF “BLACh Stirring Film Drama with Humphrey Bogart and Dick Foran Coming to The Frank is asked to testify in his own behalf. And although he answers his lawyer’s questions satisfactorily, there is a growing ominousness in his listless tones. Suddenly, unable to lie any more about his wife, Ruth, who has stood by him, he springs to his feet, shouting: “It’s all a pack of lies!! . . . The Black Legion did it! ... I killed Ed Jackson ... and the guys that helped me do it are sitting right over there!!” TN RSE POG ee a a as i a Ee eh Frank is demoted and Pa Grogan is made: foreman. Pa is visited that night by the hooded Legion, strung up to a tree, stripped to the waist and whipped within an inch of his life. Ruth is becoming mighty suspicious of Frank’s “lodge” meetings, and so are the Grogans, espe cially since they coincide with the mid night forays of the Black Legion. Rut): tries to get the truth out of him, and furiously, he slaps her. Discarding his robe, the horrified Frank kneels over Ed’s body and begs forgiveness. And then as hysteria seizes him, he breaks into headlong flight and plunges into the bushes. The police are hot on his trail and his description is broadcast everywhere. The fugitive enters a lunch ear. His actions arouse the suspicions of two police officers, he is frisked, and a .38 with four used slugs is found on him. LEGION’ TULD While Ruth, Betty, and the Grogans look on, the judge addresses the prisoners. “. . . your idea of patriotism and Ameri canism is hideous to all decent citizens. It violates every protection guaranteed by the Bill of Rights contained in our Constitution. The Bill of Rights is the cornerstone of true Americanism and must be jealously guarded if we are to remain a free people.” Theatre on Theatre on Things have become unbearable, and Ruth leaves for her parents’ home with Buddy. Frank, alone and dejected, starts drinking and soon is laid off by the factory. Finding it difficult to pay his Legion dues, Frank tries to give up his membership, but he is reminded in menacing tone that his oath is unbreakable. One night he meets Pearl Danvers, Ed’s ex girl, and he is so eager to forget his worries, that he invites her to his house for a little party. Frank Taylor’s trial is the sole topic of a much-aroused nation. An indignant democracy is horrified at the repugnant practices of the Legion mob. While in prison Frank is visited by a man named Brown—an unscrupulous man who has pocketed most of the dues paid by the gullible Legion members. Brown. tells Frank to plead self-defense, and that if he implicates the Legion, something unpleasant will happen to Ruth and Buddy. Billings, Frank’s lawyer, hears his story. IN PICTURES “We cannot permit unknown tribunals to pass judgments or punishment to be inflicted by a band of hooded terrorists. Destroy this spirit of liberty and you have planted the seeds of despotism at your own doors.” He pauses, then more de liberately, “All of you men have been convicted for the murder of Edward Jackson. Therefore it is the sentence of this court that you be imprisoned in the State Penitentiary for the rest of your natural lives.”’ Page Seven